Sunday, September 30, 2012

An Incident of the Rebel Retreat from Bowling Green

The Louisville Journal says:  When General John Cabal Breckinridge started in retreat from Bowling Green, the Cavalry, under B. H. Helm was at Glasgow, and went by what is known as the upper turnpike to Nashville.  The infantry regiments went by the lower turnpike.  These roads unite near Goodlettsville, Tennessee. – When the infantry arrived at this point, Helm’s cavalry was only for miles distant; a report had gained credence that the approaching cavalry was the Union advance under General Mitchel.  This completely stampeded the Southern chivalry, and those gallant officers, all in search of their lost rights, put their men at a double quick, and after going at this pace for five miles and throwing away many knapsacks, blankets, arms, &c., they were overtaken by the cavalry, who had been considerably accelerated on seeing the road strewn with the aforesaid articles of war.  Col. Helm was as much surprised to find his brother rebels drawn up in line of battle in a cornfield as they were pleased and mortified at their disgraceful scare.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 29, 1862, p. 1

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